I’ve never been a Black Friday shopper. It’s just too stressful to me, and there’s nothing I want or need badly enough to stand in line for hours or get up at 4:00 in the morning to go get.

I am, however, a big believer in Small Business Saturday. I’m not much of a shopper, though my husband thinks I am, but, I swear, that man would still be wearing the same jeans he had 20 years ago if he could. I am not much of a shopper, but he never buys anything. Ever.

But I digress.

With my shopping beliefs in mind, each year, I write a post about my favorite Bangor-area small businesses will cool gifts for your Christmas shopping lists. This year, I decided to devote my list to the chicken ladies in your lives.

If you’re not a chicken lady reading my blog, chances are you know someone who is a chicken lady, and since being a chicken lady is one of the things I do best, I think readers will like my Small Business Saturday shopping list.

My list is devoted to small businesses in the Bangor area that carry some awesome chicken lady finds. I hope you enjoy!

Valentine Footwear

A few months ago, I purchased some socks with chickens on them at Valentine Footwear located on Main Street in downtown Bangor, and these are my favorite socks! They are sturdy and cute beyond reason. They have pictures of several chicken breeds on them, and I love them!

These socks are good quality too, so they have been holding up well to a lot of wear.

If you or someone you know is a chicken lady, you will understand why these socks are so awesome. If you are looking for a great stocking stuffer for the chicken lady in your life, these socks are a must! And I called the owner to make sure she had plenty in stock for Small Business Saturday, and she said she did!

Tiller & Rye

Tiller & Rye is probably one of my favorite stores in the Bangor area. It’s located on Main Street in Brewer and is beautiful in every way. They have lots of local, organic food choices and some great gifts. The ones I am recommending for your Christmas list are their feed sack totes. They have a wide variety of them, and they are just adorable. They also carry wonderful canvas bags, which I love, and, of course, a wide variety of locally made gifts.

As a side note of self promotion, Tiller & Rye also just started carrying my husband’s book of children’s poetry that features the best chicken poem in the history of the world! If you head that way, please check it out. The book is called Why the Moon Tumbled Out of the Sky. I’m so excited about this!

Dutch Hex Signs

When I was looking for the perfect sign for our new duck house, I just couldn’t find what I was looking for. Then, I got a recommendation to check out Dutch Hex Signs, and I am over the moon with the little sign for our duck house. But the signs don’t have to be little. They are made to order and come in all sizes and feature all farm animals, including chickens, goats, cows, and more. Most importantly, they come with blessings and instructions on how to give your sign your own blessing. I just put mine on our duck house this week, and following the directions that came with my sign brought a tear to my eye. I love our ducks so much, and I love they have a Dutch Hex Sign of protection now.

This is the beautiful sign that now protects our duck house.

You don’t even have to leave your house to get this one and can order online here. I found out from the artist, the amazing JJ Starwalker, that she is offering a Small Business Saturday special pricing on her smaller signs like the one I have. I promise the chicken lady in your life will want a chicken sign for her coop. It’s on my wish list!

Between Friends Gift Shop

This is a shop that you maybe wouldn’t think about in terms of chicken lady gifts, but you would be surprised. Located on Center Street in Brewer, this shop is a great place to get some one-of-a-kind chicken lady gifts. I know the owner of this shop through my son’s theater and art classes, and she does such a good job of keeping her finger on the pulse of what people in our area like. She has a little section in her shop to all things chicken and farmhouse style. She has signs, antique chicken dishes, and a few really rare finds like this weather vane I am in love with. The prices are also fabulous, as many of the items are used or antique, and that makes them even more awesome to me.

This is the weathervane I am in love with from the Between Friends Gift Shop, but I have no place for it. So, if you love this too, you’re welcome!

I also found out that Maine now has an online Farmer’s Market, which would be so great to explore, and another Maine company, Fresh Eggs Daily, carries Coop Confetti. It’s organic, and chickens love it, which means chicken ladies would love it. Outside of the Bangor area, there is also the Maine Poultry Connection store, located in Bradford, which carries everything from chicken feed to boots, and they are a wonderful small business to support.

The Maine Poultry Connection store carries everything from chicken first aid kits to these adorable chicken signs. And, trust me, chicken ladies love both the first aid kits and the signs. Photo courtesy of the Maine Poultry Connection.

Whether you are a chicken lady shopping for yourself or you are looking for a gift for the chicken lady in your life, I hope you find this list helpful. It is wonderful to support Maine businesses. It’s important, and they have really cool chicken stuff!